Clothes-line stretcher



(No Model.) v

H. HENNIG.

CLOTHES LINE STRETOHER.

No. 409,840. Patented Aug. 2'7, 1889.

WITNESSES:

xg m/ UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY I-IENNIG, OF PATERSON, NEXV JERSEY.

CLOTH ES-LINE STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,840, dated August 27, 1889.

Application filed March I3, 1889. Serial No. 303,101. (No model.)

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY HENNIG, of Paterson, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Iniproveinents in Clothes -Line Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved stretching device by which a wire rope can be quickly and conveniently stretched between its points of support, the stretching device beingintended for clothes-hangingdevices; and the invention consists of astretching device formed of a U-shaped supportingframe having a rack at the inner face of one leg and parallel guideways at the other leg, a pinion meshing with said rack and guided by said ways, a U-shaped link or bail applied to the crankshaft of the pinion, and a pin or other device at the outer end of the frame for arresting the pinion and preventing its escape from the frame.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved stretching device for clothes-lines, shown as applied to a line or cord. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the stretching device drawn on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is an end elevation, and Fig. 4 a plan, of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspon ding parts.

A in the drawings represents a clothesline, which is preferably made of a wire cord, and attached at one end to a hook or eye attached to the supporting-post and at the other end to the stretching device B. The stretching device B is formed of a U-shaped part or frame B, which is provided at the inner face of one of its legs with a rack I), while the other leg is provided with inwardlyprojecting guideways b, said rack and ways guiding a pinion C, which is moved forward or backward in the guide-frame B by means of a crankshaft D, keyed to said pinion. By turning the crank-shaft D in one or the other direction the pinion is moved forward or backward on the rack and guideways of the frame B.

To the shaft D of the pinion is applied by suitable eyes a a pivot-link E, which has at its outer end an eye 6', to which the clothesline is attached. To the bent end of the frame B is applied a hook f, by which the stretching device is suspended from a hook or other suitable point of support. The opposite end of the frame B is provided with a pin g, that is passed through a hole g of the lower leg of the frame, said pin preventing the escape of the pinion from the frame. In place of the pin g, a lug at the upper leg of the frame, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, or any other suitable stop device, may be used.

The stretching device can be manufactured at small expense, as the U shaped frame is made of cast metal properly galvanized, while the crank-shaft and link are bent of galvanized wire. It can be used in connect-ion with any clothes-line or in connection with the clothes-hanger for which a concurrent application for Letters Patent has beenfiled by me at the same time herewith, No. 303,100, filed March 13,1889, said clotheshanger being composed of a tightly-stretched wire cord in connection with a number of wire links for supporting the clothes to be dried, said links being shown in Fig. 1' and fully described in the application referred to. The last or tail link is attached either to the pin g or to the bent or hook-shaped end of the crank-shaft D, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4:.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A stretching device for clothes -lines, composed of a U shaped frame having a rack at the inner face of one of its legs, guidew'ays at the other leg, a pinion moving along said rack and ways, a crank-shaft for turning the pinion, and a wire link applied to said crankshaft and provided with an eye for attaching the clothes-line, substantially as set forth.

2. A stretching device for clotheslines, composed of a U-shaped frame having a rack at the inner face of one of its legs, guideways at the other leg, a pinion moving along the rack and ways, a crank-shaft for moving said pinion, a U-shaped link or bail appliedto said crank-shaft and provided with an eye at its outer end, and a stop device for arresting the pinion and preventing its escape from the frame, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that 1 claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY IIENNIG.

itnessesz PAUL Go PEL, CARL KARP. 

